Agrilaser is a novel light technology that has been developed by Bird Control Group (BCG) to help farmers keep crop-damaging birds away from healthy crops.

The Life Laser Fence project is part-funded by the EU Life+ programme, which aims to eliminate rodenticide use and reduce crop losses. Its trials indicate that a beam of light can be enough to deter approaching wildlife.

However, whether the frequency of beams and colour of the lights influence the performance of the system has yet to be determined.

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The kit can be mounted on a pole or fence, or set up as a free-standing unit with power from a mains connection or solar charge system. It can operate over distances of up to 1.5km.

The beams are set up on a programmable pattern of movement to providing round-the-clock protection . It can memorise up to 16 patterns in three time-slots, but doesn’t have the capability to sense movement.

Inside the device is a projection safety system that shuts down the beam if it starts shining outside of the boundary. This helps stop the beam coming into contact with people.

The project started at Liverpool John Moores University, with trails taking place in the UK, Spain and Holland. Further evaluation of damage to animal health is still required, but so far, the project has not indicated any risk.